Key Takeaways
- Link insertions aid SEO by leveraging already existing content to increase your website’s visibility.
- For the best result, target the relevant and quality domain that relates to your niche.
- Use the anchor text that naturally blends into the content.
- Building relationships with website owners can lead to increased opportunities for link-building.
Link insertion, also known as niche edits, has faced criticism because of poor practices in the market. However, when done properly, the technique is highly effective. It’s a smart way to secure a strong backlink placed on an established page.
Well, how does this make a difference? A recent survey found that 72% of marketers prefer links from websites related to their niche. This means that relevancy and authority are some aspects that hold high value in link building today.
While other methods like press releases (4%) and broken link building (5%) still have their supporters, 10% of marketers say link insertions work best for them, alongside other strategies like guest posting (12%), content marketing (18%), and digital PR (20%).
Link insertions aren’t just a trend—they’re a proven, effective strategy when done correctly, making them an important part of a successful SEO campaign.
Looking for quality link-building assistance? Bring more targeted traffic to your website with our link insertion services.
What Is a Link Insertion?
Link insertion, or niche edits, involves adding links to already existing content. This usually involves contacting the author of an article to request if he or she can insert your link in that article which is already out there.
10% of marketers consider link insertions as key to their main link-building tactic. The focus on relevancy and seamless integration makes it popular among professionals seeking specific outcomes.
So, link insertion is a link-building tactic that helps greatly improve your SEO.
Likewise, according to Nathan Gotch, approximately 20% of your backlinks will likely have a much greater impact, contributing to about 80% of your SEO results.
Link Insertion Examples
Link insertion tactics can be applied to various types of content to strengthen your link-building strategy. Let’s look at some examples:
Within an Article
Source: Create and Grow
If the article emphasizes the importance of crafting a compelling blog post title but doesn’t give a list of interesting blog topic ideas, this is a good chance to give the reader a link to more detailed information.
Within a Roundup or a List Post
Source: Create and Grow
In curated list posts such as “11 Backlink Analysis Tools,” adding a link to a specific tool’s landing page introduces readers to helpful resources.
Within a Resource Page
Source: Create and Grow
Resource pages, commonly titled “Resources” or “Recommended Reads,” provide opportunities to include links to authoritative articles, whitepapers, or tools that fit the page’s theme.
Link Insertion vs. Guest Post vs. Broken Link vs. Resource Link Building
When building links, it’s important to choose an approach that is suitable to your website’s goals and resources. Each method, be it link insertion, guest post, broken link, or resource link building, has advantages and disadvantages. Below, we break down the differences to help you decide which of these similar tactics best fits your SEO needs.
Comparison Table
| Criteria | Link Insertion | Guest Post | Broken Link | Resource Link |
| Effort | Low | High | High | Medium |
| Results | Fast | Medium | Medium | Slow |
| Scalability | High | Limited | Moderate | Moderate |
| Costs | Low to Moderate | High | Moderate | Moderate to High |
| Pros | Fast results, low cost | Control over content, long-term value | High-authority placements | Long-term visibility, passive traffic |
| Cons | Limited control over content | Time-consuming and costly | Research- intensive | Replaces outdated links |
| Link Placement | Inside existing articles | In newly created, custom articles | Replaces outdated links | On curated resource |
1. Link Insertion vs. Guest Posting
One of the easiest ways to add a link to existing content on a website is by inserting the link. With this method, you save time and get quick results and targeted traffic.
Guest posting, however, means creating new articles. While it provides less result the work involved requires more time, effort, and resources. The paid guest posts also cost more – averaging around $220 per post vs. the cheaper $141 for link insertions.
2. Link Insertions vs. Broken Link Building
You can greatly improve SEO by replacing broken links on authoritative sites. However, this method is tedious and difficult to apply at scale. Link insertions are more convenient, and you see the outcomes sooner than with any other technique.
While broken link building involves the search for new and useful links to be placed, link insertion is a part of the content.
3. Link Insertions vs. Resource Link Building
Resource link building is when you add your content to curated lists, driving long-term traffic and credibility. But this takes longer and doesn’t always offer the same contextual relevance as link insertions. Also, resource links take time and effort to secure, including potential design costs, while link insertions offer quicker, immediate results within relevant articles.
While link insertions are great for getting faster results with less effort put in, other tactics may bring more quality traffic. Guest posts are better for gaining more authority in your niche, and broken links with resource links can provide high-quality backlinks that bring long-term benefits.
Are Link Insertions Good for SEO?
Any strategic SEO campaign should involve link building at some level, and while certain methods may suit a particular website, they may not necessarily work for another. In general, link insertions are a great addition to any established website using a white-hat SEO strategy.
The concept behind link insertions is simple: provide high-quality, relevant content that adds value to other websites’ audiences. Then, website owners can include your link as a trusted resource for their readers. Once added, your link serves as a guide, directing users to your site and potentially increasing traffic and visibility.
Here are two examples of high-quality links:
Example #1: Backlink from Entrepreneur Website
Source: Entrepreneur
Imagine receiving a link from an Entrepreneur page that receives traffic of 5K visitors. All this traffic could soon flood your site!
Example #2: Backlink from Forbes Website
Source: Forbes
Getting a link from Entrepreneur or Forbes can do a lot for you from the standpoint of the website’s exposure. These are considered quality backlinks which are way much better than those acquired from low-quality or irrelevant websites.
Expert opinion
“You could create millions of links across countless websites, and we could simply ignore them all. Or, there could be one really good link from a highly relevant site that signals to us that this website should be treated as important because of that link.“
John Mueller
Search Advocate at Google
John Mueller’s insight is that a single high-quality link can carry more weight than thousands of low-quality ones.
Key Benefits of Link Insertions in SEO
One of the major benefits of link insertions is the efficiency, which has been proved. Research reveals that about 49% of marketers observe results from link-building efforts, including link insertions, within 3 months, making the strategy sustainable for long-term growth.
Impact of Link Insertions
| Impact | Description |
| Better Page Authority & Rankings | Strengthens credibility with search engines |
| Increased Organic Traffic | Connects content with relevant audiences |
| Optimized Anchor Text | Control over anchor text |
| Natural Backlink Profile | Builds diverse, organic backlinks |
- Improved Page Authority and Rankings
High authority sites help search engines understand trustworthiness cues, inserting links from them. The link from an industry-leading website adds credibility to your site and accordingly to your ranking. - Increased Organic Traffic
If your content is strategic and informative, link placements will guide your content towards the right audiences when relevant. This encourages users to click on the valuable content and then explore your website bringing both visibility and conversions.
Expert opinion
In a case study on niche edits, Nathan Gotch, founder of Gotch SEO Academy, proved a 70% success rate of ranking and organic traffic from 239 total backlinks following the use of niche edits.
Nathan Gotch
Founder of Rankability & Gotch SEO Academy
In a case study on niche edits, Nathan Gotch proved a 70% success rate of ranking and organic traffic from 239 total backlinks following the use of niche edits.
Not all niche edits are created equal, Gotch notes. So he advises that you build on sites with over 3 backlinks that do have authority, and refrain from sites with less than three backlinks, as these do not have the authority needed to give you the search traffic you want.
- Optimized Anchor Text
With link insertions, you have control over your anchor text, and you can use keyword-rich phrases such as keywords that signal relevance back to search engines. - Natural Backlink Profile
Having links placed naturally inside your site’s existing content gives you an organic backlink profile. It is good for SEO purposes as search engines like it, but also it will help you avoid the penalties that might be issued in case of over-optimization and spammy tactics.
Expert opinion
Brian Dean is famous for the Skyscraper Technique—creating superior content to earn backlinks. He stresses targeting the right websites that have an audience that might be interested in your resource. This approach is suitable for successful link insertions since quality content attracts quality links.
Brian Dean
Backlinko
Link insertions, when included as a part of your SEO strategy, will assist your website earn the credibility, traffic, and authority that is necessary to enhance your position in search engine rankings.
How to Choose Relevant Websites for Link Placement
The real key to improving the SEO of your website is identifying the right websites to add the links to. This is not just about gaining backlinks but about getting backlinks from relevant sites that are aligned with the content that you provide. The idea is to make your link look as if it belongs there and is useful rather than out of place and spammy.
1. Key Metrics to Consider
Source: Ahrefs
Even though DA and DR are frequently used to measure website credibility, they shouldn’t be the only things to look at. Pay attention to organic traffic. A site with steady, consistent traffic signals trust from both users and search engines. Real visitors are usually real value to your SEO efforts.
2. Content Quality Matters
High-quality content is frequently seen at top sites for link placement. As much as 86% of marketers use content to get backlinks and that is one of the best long-term link strategies. So when you’re thinking about a site, see if it’s well-researched, and has stuff that’s relevant and interesting.
John Mueller, Search Advocate at Google
John Mueller has a good point about manipulative practices, but well-placed links on high-quality sites are still very important for building an audience and earning organic traffic.
3. Relevance to Your Niche
Source: Semrush
Another factor that needs to be considered when deciding where links should be placed is the relevance of the site. Moreover, your link must be relevant to the site in terms of both the target audience and the keywords used. This is specifically due to the fact that a link on an appropriate site is going to get you plenty of targeted traffic and increase your rankings.
John Mueller, Search Advocate at Google
This highlights the complexity of SEO, where a balance between niche relevance and other factors, like the overall authority or quality of the linking site, might yield the best results.
4. Website Rankings
Source: Sitechecker
A website’s current rankings can tell much about its authority as well as its relevance. The sites that rank well for competitive keywords will more likely pass on SEO value to your own pages. Some of the tools that I use are Ahrefs and Semrush, which help me find high-ranking pages aligned with my niche.
5. Understanding the Audience
Source: Semrush
Finally, understanding the site’s audience is just as important as its rankings. A link on a site with an audience that aligns with your target demographic will drive more qualified traffic.
5 Steps to Identify Good Link Insertion Opportunities
Link insertion is one of the simplest and most effective ways to build backlinks, but like most things in SEO, it takes a little effort to do it right. Here are 5 easy ways to discover where you can insert your links.
Step 1: Use Google Search
Use commands like these:
🔎Inurl:blog ‒ pull blog-specific results.
🔎Intext:”your keyword” ‒ find pages that mention your keyword in the text.
🔎-Intitle:”your keyword” ‒ exclude results that contain your keyword in the title.
You can also use several search operators:
🔎Inurl:blog intext:”your keyword” -intitle:”your keyword”
With these advanced searches, you can find web pages that probably would allow links to your site. Then, if you use your imagination and combine several search operators, you may end up on a good site.
Step 2. Conduct a Competitor Analysis
Another method is the analysis of the backlink profiles of your competitors. The tools like Ahrefs or Semrush can help you identify which sites link to your competitors and why. If the site is linking to them, there is a good chance that they can link to you if your content is more useful.
Source: Semrush
Key Insight: Conduct keyword research by using the Semrush Keyword Magic tool. Once you’ve identified a few relevant keywords, check the page’s ranking for your selected keywords. Above, we have presented the SERP overview for the link-building tactics keyword. Perhaps those sites can be great targets to look for link insertion opportunities.
Step 3: Analyze the Website’s Metrics and Links
Before a link insertion, thoroughly examine a website’s performance indicators and its backlink profile. By measuring high-quality metrics, you ensure that it will offer real SEO value, as it means people recognize the site as authoritative and relevant.
A quick checklist:
- Domain Authority (DA) and Domain Rating (DR): Aim for websites with a DA or DR above 30.
- Organic Site Traffic: Use tools like Ahrefs or Semrush to find out the number of visitors that a site has per month.
- Organic Page Traffic: Check the page’s traffic.
- Referring Domains: Check the number and the quality of domains linking to your site.
- Relevance: Ensure the content posted on the site is related to your niche.
- Spam Score: A site with a spam score of less than 5% is considered a healthy site.
Step 4: Master Link Insertion Outreach
While getting in touch with other site owners for link insertions is a vital part of the whole strategy, it’s not always easy. Research shows that the response rate is only 8.5%. However, there are proven ways to improve your results using email outreach best practices.
1. Set the Foundation
Before contacting the website owners, make sure your SEO and backlink profile is as strong as possible.
2. Craft a Personalized Email
My Codeless Website reveals that the response is increased by 33% when sending a personalized email.
Here’s how you can improve your outreach:
- Personalize the Email Subject
- Be Specific
- Offer Something of Value
- Do Your Research
- Appreciate Their Time
3. Follow Up
And, at the end of the day, the best thing I learned is following up with the prospects. According to my experience, it increases the number of deals made.
To make your task easier, there are special outreach tools that can help you monitor the progress of your work.
Step 5: Reach Out to Website Owners
Building relationships with website owners is more than sending a single email. Read their blog, leave meaningful comments, and show that you know who their readers are. Establishing connections makes it much easier to secure link-building opportunities compared to relying on generic email templates.
How to Optimize Anchor Text
When done properly, anchor text looks natural and brings value to the readers and SEO, and that is the essence of the link inserts.
Here are some essential elements to keep in mind:
- Collaborate with Website Owners: Work with the site owner to choose the most relevant keywords for anchor text.
- Focus on Relevance: The anchor text should make sense in context, helping readers understand the content better and guiding them to valuable sources.
- Maintain Balanced Ratios: According to SEO.co, it is good to maintain an anchor text ratio of around 20%. This means that out of every 100 optimized pages, approximately 20% should use the target keyword as the main link text variation. This diversity reduces the risk of over-optimization and promotes a more natural backlink profile.
- Match Reader Intent: Be specific with the anchor text to align with the intent of the readers. It is important that the link takes them to content that meets their expectation, whether it’s informational or actionable.
- Embed Links in Full Sentences: Insert links in meaningful, complete sentences. Avoid forced or promotional link insertions that can make the hyperlink appear less natural.
Conclusion
Link insertions are one of the easiest methods for improving your site’s SEO rankings if they are done effectively. It is about getting it right with relevancy and meaningful content and choosing the right connections to achieve the best results. From my experience, the secret is to keep it natural and always add value—not just to the search engines but to the real reader.
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Frequently Asked Questions
